Roman Government

The Roman Republic originated from three civilization, the main two being the Etruscans and Greeks. There form of government mixed oligarchy and democracy, growing slowly to a Republic over 500 years. Etruscan kings ruled Rome itself, but Rome eventually separated themselves from them. They formed the first type of republic, a type of government in which decision-making power is shared between the Senate and assemblies of male citizens. In the city- state of Rome, a king was advised by a council of elders called the Senate, whose members he appointed. The king will usually chose among a pool of patricians, upper-class citizens who belonged to the oldest and noblest Roman families. The patricians dominated the city-state. Consuls were two senators who led the government and military for one year terms and appointed their own successors. There also would be a dictator, holding all power to give orders and make laws for a maximum period of six months. Plebeians on the other hand, were the lower class, the common people, including workers, small farmers, and wealthy people who were not patricians. Patricians needed the plebeians because they were their military soldiers, therefore they had to maintain peace with them without giving them some power. Over the coarse of 500 years, Plebeians continued to gain power until patricians and plebeians held about the same power, but patricians were somewhat more powerful. Plebeian assemblies gained power and formed tribunes, magistrates elected by the plebeians, who eventually gained the power to initiate laws and veto laws. Patricians had to give in to the wants and needs of the Plebeians because they began to outnumber them. In addition, the plebeians had the patricians write the laws on tombs or slabs instead of oral tradition.

Test

Today in West Civ we took our test. We were allowed to use our blog, which I wish I would have known cause I memorized all of the 58-point quiz and studied a lot. I though the test was fairly easy and I hope I get 100 percent. Watching the rest of the video or documentary yesterday helped a lot.

Day Before a Test

Today in West Civ we watched an informative video review for our test.  It covered all of the most of the ancient  Greek rulers.  It was helpful to view it again because we switched seats and I could see it so much better. It helped to clarify for me the two different Persian invasions with Darius I and Xerxes his son.  Liam Neeson narrated and kept saying "astonishing" which became kind of funny after a while.

58-point quz review worksheet

Today in West civ, we went over the 58 point quiz from last week. We watched a movie that discussed Greek Civilization. It is important to know that the order of Greek civilizations settled in the Greek mainland are the Myceneans then the Minoans, and then the Dorians. Also Mr. Schick said he wanted everyone in he class to get a specific question on the test right, that Odysseus was a war hero who had many adventures while trying to return home after the Trojan War. Also it is key to know that in the Dark Ages, when the Dorians took over, no record were kept and writing was lost although we know of this age because Homer told stories during the times that were passed down orally. Our test is Wednesday and we need to study this worksheet, the video, a former student's Quizlet, and our cyber day quiz from last week.

Cyber day but in the Gym

Today in West Civ, Mr. Schick wasn't here, so we went to the gym to study for the test on Friday. It was kind of like a cyber day, but we went to the gym because there wasn't enough teacher or subs to cover for all the classes without teachers. We were in the gym with a lot of other classes. Our teachers gave us work and we did it individually. We reviewed the 58-point quiz worksheet and our cyber day work. And check them for accuracy.

St. Patrick’s Day Cyber-day

1. Which of the following is not a characteristic of Greece?

a. peninsula      b. many islands     c. mountainous      d. mostly fertile land

2. Approximately ___________ of Greece is covered by mountains.

A. 2/3                  b. 3/4                         c. 1/2                          d. 1/4

3. Define the term barbarian as it was originally used in the ancient world.

a.     The Greeks first used this term to describe those foreigners that they could not understand, but seemed to be saying "bar bar" when speaking.

 

b.     A group of people that is able to quickly adapt to the new environment in which they arrive despite speaking a foreign tongue.

c.      A group of people migrating into a territory where they do not speak the native tongue.

d.     A life based upon farming, warfare, and tribal organization.

e.     The word came from the Greek "barbaros," which originally meant "Non-Greek."

 

4.     What defines a megalithic structure?

             a.       Homes that were constructed for people during the Neolithic period

b.         Fortifications constructed for people during the Neolithic period

c.        Massive rough-cut stones used to construct monuments and tombs

 

d.        Giant dinosaurs whose fossil remains were visible to ancient peoples

e.         Evidence of advanced technological tools

 

5.     What does the term tribe refer to?

a.       A social and political unit consisting of a group of communities held together by common interests, traditions, and real or mythical ties of kinship

b.     A family-based group governed by a hereditary chieftain

c.         A clan-based group prior to the advent of city-states in the Greek world

 

                       d.      A group of warriors, related by blood, who are governed by a king or queen

 

e.     All of these

6. Tribes were governed by

a. Warrior kings or queens                                        d.  All of these

b. Chieftains                                                                e. none of these

c. Tribal leaders chosen by warriors

7. Who were the first European barbarians to make contact with civilization?

a. Greeks                                                                       d.  Phoenicians

b. Hittites                                                                        e.  People of Asian Minor

c. Celts

8. Which of the following modern-day countries would NOT be considered a member of “Western civilization”?

a. Greece                                                                        d.  Italy

b. England                                                                     e.  United States

c. China

9. What is the name of the sea located just west of the Greek mainland?

a. Mediterranean Sea                                                  d.  Ionian Sea

b. Aegean Sea                                                              e.  Chesapeake Bay

c. Atlantic Ocean

10. What is the name of the sea located just east of the Greek mainland?

a. Mediterranean Sea                                                  d.  Ionian Sea

b. Aegean Sea                                                               e.  Chesapeake Bay

c. Atlantic Ocean

11. What were the major crops the Aegean people lived on?

a. Rice, vines, and olives

b. Potatoes, vines, and olives

c. Grain, vines, and olives

d. Onions, wheat, and beer

e. Corn, wheat, and rice

12. Which civilization arose on the island of Crete?

a. Mycenaean                                                                d.  Persian

b. Minoan                                                                         e.  Phoenician

c. Spartan

13. Which civilization established settlements along the Greek mainland’s southern shore and on some islands?

a. Mycenaean                                                                d.  Persian

b. Minoan                                                                         e.  Phoenician

c. Spartan

14. Which civilization built massive walls to protect themselves from attack?

a. Mycenaean                                                                d.  Persian

b. Minoan                                                                         e.  Phoenician

c. Spartan

15. A period of Greek history in which the population dropped, ships no longer sailed, and writing fell out of use, is called the

a. First Persian War                                                    d.  Dark Ages

b. Megalithic Destruction                                         e.  None of these

c. Collapse of Crete

16. Following this time period, the Greeks joined which group as the leading commercial and seafaring nation of the Mediterranean?

a. Etruscans                                                                  d.  Persians

b. Egyptians                                                                  e.  Phoenicians

c. Hittites

17. In historical writing, the letter “c” might appear before a date, as in “c. 1500 BC.”  What does this “c” mean?

a. around                                                                       d.  All of these

b. about                                                                         e.  None of these

c. circa

18. By 600 BC, Greek city-states dotted the coastlines around the Mediterranean Sea.  These were called

a. colonies                                                                     d.  Hoplites

b. demos                                                                        e.  Megaliths

c. Starbucks

19. Although they varied in size, ancient Greek city-states most closely resembled what modern-day geographical feature?

a. cities                                                                           d.  nations

b. counties                                                                     e.  continents

c. states

20. This is a form of government in which a small group of citizens dominated, and the power of the majority was limited in various ways.

a. democracy                                                               c.  oligarchy

b. monarchy                                                                  d.  tyranny

21. This is a form of government in which decisions were made by the majority of adult male citizens.

a. democracy                                                               c.  Oligarchy

b. monarchy                                                                  d.  Tyranny

22. This is a form of government in which a self-proclaimed dictator held power.

a. democracy                                                               c.  Oligarchy

b. monarchy                                                                  d.  Tyranny

23. This is a form of government in which power is held by a single ruler, and is often passed along from father to son.

a. democracy                                                               c.  Oligarchy

b. monarchy                                                                  d.  Tyranny

24. Spartans used this government system.

a. democracy                                                                c.  Oligarchy

b. monarchy                                                                  d.  Tyranny

 

25. At what age did Spartan males begin their military training?

a. seven                                                                          d.  eighteen

b. twelve                                                                         e.  twenty-one

c. fifteen

26. What was the wealthiest city-state in the ancient Greek world?

a. Athens                                                                       d.  Sparta

b. Thebes                                                                       e.  Argos

c. Corinth

27. This was the high fortified citadel and religious center of an ancient Greek town.

a. Parthenon                                                                 d.  helos

b. Pantheon                                                                  e.  polites

c. Acropolis

28. This was the name of the southern peninsula where Sparta was located.

a. Anatolia                                                                    d.  Stonehenge

b. Mt. Olympus                                                             e.  Peloponnesus

c. Crete

29. These were massive fighting ships with three banks of oars, used to ram or board enemy ships.

a. phalanxes                                                                  d.  Biremes

b. hoplites                                                                      e.  Triremes

c. tyrants

30. This was a heavily armed and armored citizen-soldier of ancient Greece.

a. phalanx                                                                      d.  Bireme

b. hoplite                                                                        e.  Trireme

c. tyrant

Short answer.   

1.     You recall the time period when the Greek population dropped, ships no longer sailed, and writing fell out of use.  What years did this period begin and end?

-       Around 1150 BC, Mycenae was sacked and all the other fortified settlements were deserted. Populations dropped, ships no longer sailed, and writing fell out of use. This crisis led to The Dark Ages lasting for about four centuries, beginning in 1150 to around 800 BC.

2.     During the time period when writing fell out of use, the poet Homer is said to have told stories of the Trojan War, and of a war hero attempting to return to his home.  What are the titles of these two stories?

-       Homer composed epic stories and tales called “The Iliad and the Odyssey” during the Dark Ages in 750 to 700 BC. These were passed down through word of mouth, because writing wasn’t used much anymore back then. Homer would basically memorize his compositions and tell them to people along the streets.

3.     The word “Mediterranean” originally meant…

-       Center of the earth or between lands. The people of Greece believed they were the center of the civilizations or villages. They didn’t have knowledge of other lands, because of the belief the Earth was flat.

4.     What were prominent and long-established Athenian land-owners called?

-       The Aristocrats were members of the prominent and long-established Athenian families that traditionally ruled the city-states and the increasingly numerous demos.

Finishing up Part 2

Today in class Mr. Schick was sick again. We finished watching part two of the video on the Greeks. I had already finished that for homework last week, so I just used this time to study for my math test next mod and work on my homework for other classes. I wont forget to bring home all of my book for over the weekend and Monday if we have a cyber day.

Athens Commercial Storyboard and Video

Today in class we presented our projects. I feel like mine is really long, because it is four minutes, while everybody else's was around 30 seconds. I think some people were really creative in their movies. I hope I get to go tomorrow.

Athens Commercial Project Video

The Greeks: Cucible........Video

Today in class we continued watching the video and took more notes on the worksheet. The movie was manly about Cleisthenes so far. 3D art on the wall that was part of the wall were called freezes. Our project is due on Monday still.

The Greeks: Cucible of Civilization

Today in Western Civ. we watched a video about Ancient Greece. We will continue watching it on Friday, when Mr. Schick isn't here. And we are doing a worksheet as we go along. It is really interesting that Ancient Greece had about 1000 city-states, all working individually and by themselves.

Cyber Day Number 3

Today is another Cyber Day, and we were asked to work on our Athens or Sparta commercial project. I choose Athens and was going to do a Tri-fold board, but changed my mind cause I wanted a good grade. So now I am doing a story board and a commercial video. I am so glad we have till Monday to turn the project in, because I was starting to stress and worry.